College & Community Relations

State board gives nod of approval to Aims' Associate Degree in Nursing program

Submitted on: 02-03-2005

College continues to expand healthcare programs across campuses
Aims Community College recently received interim approval from the State Board of Nursing for its Associate Degree in Nursing program. This brings the college one step closer to graduating its first class of nurses who hold their ADN, which prepares them to take the NCLEX, the national exam to become a registered nurse.
Interim approval is the fourth step in the State Board of Nursing’s stringent guidelines for launching an ADN program. Final approval for Aims is contingent on the percentage of graduating students who pass the RN exam.
“For the program to go on, we need a minimum of a 75 percent pass-rate,” said Director of Nursing, Jane Hartsock. With the first class of 26 on its way to graduating this May, and an internship to fulfill, Hartsock said exam results might not be in until August or September. But if the ADN students test as well as students in last year’s Practical Nursing graduate class, it should be a done deal.
“Our PN’s pass-rate last year was 93 percent,” said Peg Morelli, Director for Career and Technical Education. “Some schools struggle to reach 70 percent, so that’s very good.”
Aims’ ADN program is what’s known as 1+1, where students first earn their practical nursing certificate and then have the option of continuing on to earn their associate’s degree on their way to becoming an RN. So, many of Aims’ first class of ADN students are from that strong graduating class of practical nurses.
“We are just delighted with the approval of our ADN program as tribute to our unflinching goal of building the allied health program into a flagship department at Aims,” said college President Marsi Liddell. “Significant work by nursing faculty, staff and administrators contributed to this successful venture. We will continue to provide those workforce needs to our health partners and community.”
In addition to the ADN program, Aims Community College expanded its Nurse Aide program to the Fort Lupton campus this semester.
The five-week Certified Nurse Aide program focuses on adult, disabled and residential care. In addition to classroom skills and simulations, students gain 30 hours of clinical experience, giving care to actual patients in a long-term care facility or hospital.
Upon completion of the course, graduates are able to take the State of Colorado’s Nurse Aide Certification exam. Graduates can continue their healthcare education at Aims in Extended Practical Nursing, the ADN program, Medical Clinical Assisting, Surgical Technology or Radiological Technology.
Additionally, Aims’ launched its Alcanzar medical-prep program at Fort Lupton, serving non-traditional students interested in preparing for a career in healthcare. The program runs nine months and provides students with opportunities to become a CNA, while providing students with college credits that can be used toward other healthcare educational programs. Students are introduced to a wide variety of medical fields such as Dental Assistant, Surgical Technology, Radiological Technology, Laboratory Assistant, Medical Records Administration, Home Health Care, Physical Therapy and Veterinarian Technology.
Call Aims today at (970) 330-8008 or visit www.aims.edu for more information on how to register for classes.
Aims Community College is an EEO/AA Employer
Aims Community College is one of the largest and most comprehensive two-year colleges in Colorado. Founded in 1967 in Greeley, Aims has since established additional campuses in Fort Lupton, Loveland and Fort Collins. Curriculum now includes 2,000 day, evening and weekend courses for 14,000 students annually.
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